The Strong Bones classes through the University of Wisconsin-Extension have continuously grown in popularity. This summer, the program began a Summer Walking Challenge, going all the way to Boston, a total of 1,235 miles.
“Most made it there and back,” said Nancy Schultz, UW-Extension family living educator and a certified instructor for the programs.
As the teams walked, they learned tips to help stay healthy as they became more active. Pedometers tracked the steps they made for 10 weeks. Each day, they kept track of their steps, which were added up at the end of the week and sent to Kara Skarlupka, support staff at the UW-Extension and a certified instructor for the programs.
“It gave them incentive to get moving and do more,” Skarlupka said. “It gave expanded exercise beyond the one hour of the Strong Bones classes. I always heard how much they enjoyed it.”
The program let the teams set their own pace and goals. They could work privately or team with a family member or friend to cheer them on. The program has been shown to help the participants increase their activity level.
In the first challenge, the nine teams walked a total of 35,294,882 steps. One team walked 8,259,266 steps. One team member, Mary LaMarche, walked 5,940,620 steps herself.
“I enjoyed the physical activity,“ LaMarche said.
LaMarche not only walked, she also swam, biked and participated in a cardio class. A chart showed all the participants’ activities.
“You were all working on the same thing,“ she said.
Being physically active reduces the risk for certain diseases and can help manage stress. It helped Toni Schoepke lose 50 pounds since January, which really helped her knees. She has been in the Strong Bones program, paying attention to the nutrition suggestions for over a year and also took part in the Summer Walking Challenge.
“It’s a lot of work, but I feel so much better,” Schoepke said. “I have so much more energy.”
There is a Fall Walking Challenge during which the teams will walk all 72 counties in Wisconsin, which is 3,000 miles. The eight to 10 people will need to walk 300 miles each week. Each team member will need to walk about 30 miles per week or 60,000 steps, an average of 8,572 per day.
“I think the programs are popular because they’re seeing results and sharing it with their friends, and their friends are signing up,” Schultz said.
The Strong Bones program emphasizes progressive weight training, flexibility and balance for men and women of all ages. There are two classes in Gresham, five at Zion Lutheran Church and one each at Total Fitness, Sacred Heart and the courthouse in Shawano, and one in Bonduel.
One will be starting at ThedaCare in January, and there is an offshoot of the program in Clintonville.
For information on the Strong Bones classes and the Fall Walking Challenge, call the UW-Extension office at 715-526-6136.
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